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Eco tourism press
Eco tourism press
Eco-Tourism: Preserving South America’s Wilderness

             Photos and Text by Adam Reichardt



                    Thanks to the people at
         Ecolé, La Granja Organíca and Los Largartos
                 for being such gracious hosts.
Eco tourism press
G
          reen has been on everyone’s     ing as a student, I was intent on ab-    largest economy in the world and
          mind lately. The movement                                                the second largest in the Americas)
          towards more environe-          Quickly I learned we are not that        leads the way in total amount of
 mentally friendly industry, energy,      different. Focusing on environmen-       exports at $137.8 billion dollars,
 and lifestyles is growing stronger       talism, I was seeking to question the    followed by Chile at 58.12 billion
 by the day. People desire to make        Chilean mindset regarding “green.”       [1]. In 2003 Chile signed a free trade
 less of an impact on the planet while    Many Chileans saw green as pride         agreement with the United States.
 still mantaining some of there tradi-    in their country’s world renwoned        This actions by the Chilean gov-
 tions. One being travel. People love     wilderness and biodiversity. Chile is    ernment has the potential to bring
 to travel. Travel offers a chance to     long, narrow country with a climate      Chile’s GDP to unprecedented
 get away from the mundane hap-           that varies greatly, ranging from the    levels, positioning to Chile as a
 penings of their daily life, and enter   world’s driest desert-the Atacama-       great power in the global commu-
 into unknown territory. As people        in the north, through a Mediterra-       nity. With this new role comes the
                                          nean climate in the centre, to a rainy   responsibility towards their people
 destinations, they are beginning to      temperate climate in the south. Most     and the global community to pre-
 question their impact on these coun-     spoke of the tourists who came for       serve their environment.
 tries. With these concerns, enters       this reason, to experience so many           Within South America, Chile
 the industry of ecological toruism       unique climates in a short time.         leads the GDP per capita at $14,
 or eco-tourism. The act of touring                                                With this new growth in wealth
 through a country while gaining          that we are experiencing here in the     comes a growing middle class look-
 education about the environment          United States, has not yet proliferat-   ing to emulate the spending and
                                          ed in Chile, but it certainly going in   consumption habits of their neigh-
                                          that direction. Chileans were more       bors to the north, the United States.
Sunset over Seno Última Esperanza         animated when discussing topics          As these South Americans spend
(Last Hope Sound) in Puerto Natales.      regarding the preservation of their      more of their growing wealth on
This tiny little town is more or less     wilderness, and what to do regard-       technology, goods and land, they
regarded to be the basecamp town          ing polluting and destructive energy     will begin to confront many of the
for one of Chile’s natural wonders, the   sources in the country.                  environmental issues that plague
                                                                                   industrialized societies (waste, pol-
mountian,Torres del Paine.                     Chile is gaining popularity on
                                          the global stage. South America          lution, energy shortage and obesity).
                                          relies heavily on the exporting of       Frankly, many of these issues are
     I recently spent six months trav-    goods and Chile is a major player in     already emerging in their society.
 eling as an eco-tourist through Chile    this economic market. On an ex-          Akin to the energy problems in the
 and it’s neighboring countries. Go-      change rate basis Brazil (the seventh    United States, Chile is creating high
Eco tourism press
levels pollution due to their reliance     law that requires new energy con-        sound energy sources.
 on electricity produced with coal                                                         A massive hydropower su-
 technology.                                energy from non-traditional renew-       per project is planned for the Aysén
     As global climate change gar-          able sources. The government has         region of Chile, which is part of
 ners more attention in the interna-        also paved the way for up to US$400      the awe-inspiring scenery of Pa-
 tional community, the pressure for         million to be spent on renewable en-     tagonia. The companies ENDESA
 renewable energy sources increases.        ergy projects. In the meantime there     and Colbún S.A. have planned the
 Chile has mounting reasons for its         is a large push by corporations such     HidroAysén project. In this joint
 own interest in alternative energy.        as ENDESA and Colbún S.A. to in-
 Santiago experiences heavy layers          vest in more hydroelectric projects.     damns – two on the Baker River and
 of smog as a result of industry and        Sixty percent of electricity genera-     three more on the Pascua – along
 automotives. These clouds of smog          tion in Chile is based on imported       with 1,500 miles of transmission
                                      -     fossil fuels (mostly natural gas and
 tions for the residents of Santiago.       coal) and forty percent on domestic
 Moreover, the cloud’s toxic particles      hydropower.


                                            T
 have the potential to travel to neigh-             he Andes mountain range
 boring rural areas, affecting both the             provides Chile with a rich
 crops and water supplies.                          source of hydropower. The
                                            annual glacial melt swells Chile’s
                                            rivers providing its eight hydroelec-
Patagonia’s natural parks offer a rare      tric plants with around 3000 Mega-
up close glimpse at varied wildlife. Here   Watts (MW) of electricity. This pro-
are the famous Alpaca (left) and Gray       vides a whopping forty percent of
                                            Chile’s electricity energy. In compar-
Fox (right). Both hiking and auto tours     ison, Hydroelectricity is only seven
are offered through the park.               percent of the United States energy
                                            production. With an expected an-
     Chile and Argentina’s aging            nual increase of six to seven percent
 electricity grid and limited energy        over the next ten years, That’s an
 sources make it increasingly dif-          annual increase on the order of 450
                                            MW produced. Chile is confronted
 growing populace as electricity de-        with the dilemma of whether to
 mands grow. The president of Chile,        continue to pursue hydroelectric
 Michelle Bachelet, signed a bill into      sources or invest in ecologically
Eco tourism press
lines. The placing of the dams with-          of 450 MW. This growth in capacity                                                 -
 in these rivers will cause massive            is necessary if present consumption
                                               rates continue. If built this project is   past the dams[4]. It is a rare mo-
 of transmission lines a winding cor-          expected to have a capacity of over
 ridor almost 400 feet wide must be            2,750 MW, twenty percent of the na-        environmental activists working
 cleared, destroying thousands miles           tion’s current total. The urban and        together, this illustrates that giant
 of native forest [2]. In addition to          industrial areas around Santiago           impact the HidroAysén project will
 the forest destruction, the towers are        would consume some of it, but most         have on Chile.
 more than 200 feet high and will be           is needed in the mining operations
 a massive eye sore for those looking          that lie further north. Those living
 to gaze upon Patagonia’s majestic
 scenery. The visually and environ-            they should suffer for the produc-
 mentally destructive elements of              tion of electricity to be shipped up
 the project are being met with great          north.
                                                    In response to this project, envi-
 industries, as well as environmental          ronmental activists, affected indus-
 activists.                                    tries and villages have drafter a long
The Perito Moreno Glacier is the most          list of negatives. To achieve proper
visited glacier in the world (left). In fact   function, hydroelectric dams must
                                               create a reservoir that submerges
located in the Argentinian town of
                                               large swaths of land upstream.
El Calafate, many tourists travel over

                                                                                          W
                                                                                                      ith the present brown
from Chile.The mountians of Chile’s            riverside habitats, which are rich in                  and blackouts occurring
central valley also offer a peak inside        biodiversity; the destruction is likely                in Chilean towns and
smaller glaciers. Here a ice waterfall is      to cause ripples in other habitats as      cities, hydroelectric dams may be a
shown (right).                                                                            necessary evil to allow the contin-
                                               Chile fears the repercussion of the        ued development of Chile and its
      Firstly, what are the positive as-       dam on the salmon habitats. Stud-          freedom from foreign energy de-
 pects of the project? In Chile in the         ies have shown that dams along the         pendence. Some in the economically
 next ten years, an annual increase                                                       depressed regions surrounding the
 of six to eight percent in electric-          America have reduced salmon                proposed dam locations are eager
 ity consumption is expected. This             populations by preventing access to        to welcome the employment the
 corresponds to an annual growth in            spawning grounds upstream. Fish            dams will provide. Displacement of
 power plant capacity on the order             ladders that have been installed to        local populations is expected due
Eco tourism press
Concerning the displacement         of these farmers will testify, its re-
 that adequate replacement housing           and destruction of people, Sin           wards are great. One farmer would
 will not be provided, in addition to        Represas stated “we at Sin Represas,     boast how long it had been since he
 the proper compensation of farm-            and the people of Aysén, whose old-      had gone to town. Nearing the one-
 land lost to the dams. Many in the          world existence may one day soon         month mark, he wore his seclusion
 tourism industries are worried that         be destroyed by those old-world          as a badge of honor, showing his
 the power lines will dampen their           energy solutions.” The organization      true commitment to the land.


                                                                                      C
 industry, especially when they are          is referencing Chile’s strong pastoral            hile has a strong agricul-
 trying to promote ecological tour-          communities who have subsisted on                 ture history and currently
 ism, or eco-tourism.                        herding and agriculture for genera-               exports forty-two percent
                                             tions and continue to do so today.       of its food to the Americas, thirty
Sin Represas (Without Dams) com-             These agricultural communities also      percent to Asia and twenty-four
mands large crowds during it’s many          provide a strong draw for eco-tour-      percent to Europe [2]. Gaining a 23
                                             ists, particularly their participation   billion dollar trade surplus in 2006,
demonstrations in Santiago (left).The        in the Worldwide Opportunities on        the Chilean government invests a
marches and demonstrations remain            Organic Farms (WWOOF) organi-            lot in industrial farms. With brands
relatively peaceful with Chile’s police on   zation.                                  like Super Pollo, a subsidiary of
patrol (right).                                   WWOOF offers a rare possibil-       Agricorps the largest industrial
                                             ity to today’s increasingly urban        agriculture brand in Chile, com-
         Sin Represas (Without Dams)         generation, a chance for people to       manding 550 million US Dollars in
 is a collection of organizations seek-      get out of the urban jungle and into     yearly sales, competition is impos-
 ing to put an end to the HidroAysén         the pastures and prairies where we       sible for small organic farms. These
 project. While noting the possibil-                                                  farms can only realistically hope to
 ity of employment for the region,           farms and eager volunteers across        supply local farmers markets and a
 Sin Represas reports an April 2008          all seven continents, with a total of
                                             ninety-nine participating countries.
 percent of Chileans against the             WWOOF was originally started in
 dams. Sin Represas implores Chile           1971 by a London secretary look-
 to focus their energies towards             ing to offer urban dwellers access to
 renewable power sources and eco-            the countryside. Volunteering for a
 tourism; two avenues Sin Represas           small farm puts you in touch with
 believes will provide the power and         people who are following a lifestyle
 development needed to continue              not chosen by many because of its
 Chile’s development[3].                     arduous requirements, but as many
Eco tourism press
few stores. Francisco Rottman, the        their frustration with being entirely       for a great citrus fertilizer. As fertil-
 owner of the Chilean farm, Granja                                                 -   izer is expensive, any cost-saving
 Organica, earns most of his income        tor had broken down three months            technique is adopted.
 from the farm stand he operates off       earlier and was still sitting unused.            Two interns visiting La Granja
 his property; selling around sixty-       Their hope was a volunteer from             Organica from a local agricultural
                                           WWOOF with mechanical skills                school introduced me to their fer-
                                     -     would arrive and bring it back to           tilizer technique. Using chicken
 cent at a small store, Tienda Tierra      life.                                       wire as a form, they layered animal
 Viva in Santiago Central. At the end           Manuel was very inventive              waste, leaves, and any leftover or-
 of each harvest Rottman said he was       with the limited tools in his pos-          ganic food scraps to create a putrid
 just happy to break even.                 session. He was unable to afford a          parfait. Most important was the staff
The horses of Los Lagartos are alowed      steel plow; I watched him instead           left in the center, which would be
                                           fashion a plow out of pine branches         pulled out once the fertilizer settled
to run wild, considering the thick brush
                                           and attach it to one of their horses.       so as to allow air to circulate and
of the surrounding native forests keep     Though it cost no money it was still        feed the aerobic bacteria which de-
them contained. Here Giulia’s favorite     able to effectively till the soil and       composing material. Taking three to
black stallion can be seen trotting to-    he left the larger stones for myself
wards the watering hole.                   and the other WWOOFers. Innova-             allows La Granja Organic to save
                                           tions like this are necessary among         money and avoid buying expensive
      Nearby Granja Organíca, the          the South American organic farm-            organic fertilizers.
 owners Manuel and Giulia Rodri-           ers. Without access to the growing
 guez of the farm Los Lagartos (The        organic market in the United States,
 Lizards) owners, have adapted a           Canada and Europe, these farmers            “organic.” For many it’s a matter of
 lifestyle devoted to farming in its       have very little income.                    choice, due to the high price of seeds


                                           F
 simplest form and are trying to                  aced with the same income            and extremely hardy pesticides. The
 eliminate monetary transactions all              problems on La Granja Or-
 together. Moving away from the air-              ganica, they too embraced            any lost crops. Those at Los Lagartos
 conditioned tractor lifestyle that has    innovation. While strolling through                                          -
 come to dominate industrial farm-         their land, I found the chickens            cides sprayed on nearby farms being
 ing Manuel and Giulia are looking         fenced in with the citrus trees. This
 to develop a spiritual relationship       is struck me as an odd place for the
 with the land, allowing it to reward      chickens, and when I asked Rottman          surrounding labeling of an organic
 their devotion and hard labor with        about the odd pen, I was informed           food is another issue arresting the
 a bountiful harvest. Still they shared    that their high nitrogen feces makes        proliferation of organic farmers.
Eco tourism press
These farmers are a strong             kilometers trail, The Chilean Trail,     major travel and eco-tourism draw
 foothold in the rural communities           from Visviri, on the northern Chil-      for both Chileans and Foreigners
 of central and southern Chile. These        ean border with Peru and Bolivia,        alike. Many of the parks contain
 are the communities that would              to Cape Horn, the southern tip of        millenarian forests and have at-
                                             South America. This trail will be        tracted biologists on a search for the
 eco-tourism options in and around           one of the longest pathways in the       world’s oldest trees long before the
 these areas. The income brought             world for hiking or tours on bicycle     arrival tourists. Those less interested
 in from tourism, would go a long                                                     in science, go to towns such as Vall-
 way in preserving the land, and the         sustainable development initia-          rica and Pucón for stunning vistas,
 agricultural way of life followed           tives was inaugurated on April 7,        native wildlife, and adventure. I
 by many in Chile. There are many            2005 in the town of Requinoa, some       was fortunate to grab a few days
 who support eco-tourism, including          100 kilometers south of Santiago.        away from Santiago and sample a
 governmental actors, environmental          CONAMA and UNDP signed an                sliver of this region at the small vil-
 activists, and the farmers mentioned        agreement in late 2004 to provide        lage of Pucón. In Pucón, tourists are
 above. The problem now is getting                                                    able to spend all their time lounging
 these different actors to work to-          for a total investment of 310,000 dol-   by one of the many lakes, rafting
 gether.                                     lars. Irene Philippi, UNDP resident      on the rivers, soaring through the
                                             representative in Chile described        canopy on zip-lines or for the truly
The land of Los Lagartos provided con-       the project as ‘’on the path of eco-                                         -
stant activity for volunteer WWOOFers.       tourism and sustainability.’’ ‘’It       cano, Volcan Vallrica, to gaze into its
                                                                                      smoking chasm. I opted for some-
Freshly planted avocado trees required
                                             greater value to the Chilean Trail,      thing a tad less strenuous, or so I
covering at night to protect against cold.   bring revenues into its communities      believed.
Waiting till sunrise to remove the pro-      and protect the environment.’’ This           Through the hostel, Ecolé, I dis-
tective covers.                              push shows the governments com-          covered the Cani Sanctuary; a model
                                             mitment to eco-tourism. If the gov-      for conservation and its potential
     Chile has garnered international        ernment combines their power with        in Chile. Found in the Huerquehue
 support for their bid to provide            the devotion of it’s people, eco-tour-   National Park, Cani offers a six-hour
 ecologically sound options for visi-        ism can become a viable and strong       hike through a well-marked path ac-
 tors to their county. With help from        industry for Chile.                      companied by photo-friendly wild-


                                             S
 the United Nations Development                     outh of Santiago lies the lake    life and plenty of cows. Ecolé has
 Programme (UNDP), Chile’s Na-                      region of Chile. The amazing      long held a stake in the Sanctuary.
 tional Environment Commission                      landscape and diverse choices     The original forty-two co-owners,
 (CONAMA) has planned an 8,000               of activities has made this region a     both foreigners and locals, were all
Eco tourism press
conservation-minded people com-         our money where our mouth is and          organic growing. More income and
 ing down to Chile to build trails in    move forward the environmental            organization is needed to advance
 the Cani. One of the original found-    tourism agenda.”                          the organic agenda.
 ers, Tracy Katelman, described the           Through their vegetarian res-            Katelmen continued to express
                                         taurant, the hostelowners have been       her frustration with being more en-
 born out of the desire for a clean      hard-pressed to start a change in         vironmental. “It’s hard to be really
 bed and warm meal when they got         they way food is handled in Chile.        Eco in Chile…[we’ve] made a real
 off the trail each day. So they con-    Katelman discussed her worries            effort to recycling and composting
 verted their old haunt, Don Pepe’s,     with “promoting [Ecolé] as an or-         going in Pucón.” By showing an
 into an eco-minded hostel with an       ganic restaurant.” Many of the local      interest in recycling, now people are
 organic vegetarian restaurant. Some     crops are being infested by the           coming by to pick up Ecolé’s wine
 of the guidebooks claim the vegetar-    Pilme beetle, a “strong little critter”   bottles. Ecolé also has the obligatory
 ian food is better than that of San     that as of now can only be stopped        low-energy light bulbs. They do not
 Francisco and New York.                 by chemical pesticide. Though she         change the sheets, but instead offer
                                         did mention a neighbor who had            sleeping bags for renting. During
Manuel was trained as a chef before      a homegrown recipe consisting of          the winter, the hostel is heated by
becoming an organic farmer.Visitors      old cigarette butts, which may be         wood stove. Looking to improve
were treated daily to delicious meals    a possible remedy to the infesta-         their hostel more, the co-owners of
prepared with ingredients grown right    tion. With the beetle infestation, the    Ecolé had planned to install solar
outside.The only outside purchases       farmers also have a problem with          panels and create a yoga studio, as
                                         meeting food demands. They just           well as a laundry room. Due to the
were sugar and butter.
                                         cannot produce enough to provide          economic crisis that has shocked
                                         Ecolé and other organic restaurants.      the world, however, they have had
      Ecolé and its owners have been     Katelman spoke of an attempt by           to put the plan on hold for the time
 a strong force in the surrounding       the Komkellayen organization to           being.


                                                                                   E
 areas. In August 2008 they managed      pull together Mapuche, those indig-               colé is certainly a testament
 to suspend a developer’s decision to    enous to central Chile, producers                 to the changing mindset in
 dam up a river delta in Cola Cola, in   and possibly win a national grant,                Chile, but also shows how far
                                         but unfortunately the plan fell apart.    they have to go. Alas, it is essential
                                         Many of the small growers also suf-       to plant the seeds of conservation in
 Through their hostel they are trying    fer from logistical problems, such        developing countries. More so, this
 to get people out to the Cani and       as distribution. She believes, “Chile     is not an example of the “enlight-
 educate them about the wildlife.        is at least twenty years behind the       ened westerner” coming into the
 Katelman said it was “time to put       [United States]” when it comes to         country and dictating was is right,
Eco tourism press
but an example of both local Chil-         build an addition to his house for his     pushing for more conservation in Chile
 eans and foreigners working side           ill daughter. Habitat for Humanity’s       and setting a trend for all of South
 by side to preserve this beautiful         volunteer coordinator, informed me the     America. Their model of dedication
                                            existing space of the house was unsuit-    to the environmental cause is what is
 tourists, dedicated locals can use the     able for the betterment of the daugh-      motivating larger organizations like Sin
 income to educate tourists on the          ter’s health.                              Repreasas to combat the destructive
                                                Habitat for Humanity organized         plans of the HidroAysén project.
 to keep it going.                          Chilean students from a local trade             The support of eco-tourists is what
                                            school along with a British volunteer to   is pushing to keep global environ-
British volunteer, Gareth Tye, is being     build the additional room. Gareth Rich-    ments pure. As global superpowers
taught how to tile by a Chilean student                                                outsource their pollution and waste to
from a local trade school (left).The lan-   was looking to travel around South
                                            America and thought this would serve
guage barrier led to most lessons tak-
                                            as a good introduction to the culture
ing twice as long as expected. Newly        and an opportunity to learn Spanish.
sprouted plants on La Granja Organíca       Many of these volunteer tourists are
ware kept in a warehouse until ready        jaded from the sanitized tourists trails
for planting (right).                       and prefer to get to know a city from
                                            the bottom up. This is considered eco-
      Volunteer work is a large draw for    tourism, as it doesn’t negatively impact
 eco-tourists as it offers the excitement   the environment of the destination.
 of a foreign country while offering        Giving back to the community instead
 tourists a chance to give something        of isolating yourself in a high-class
 other than economic support. Many          resort, offers more to the people.         second and third world counties, it’ll


                                            O
 organizations offer programs connect-               rganizations like WWOOF           be eco-tourists who give these nations
 ing tourists with local or international            and Habitat for Humanity          a reason to refuse. Restoring pride it a
 groups. One such group I became                     provide outlets for tourists      nation’s wilderness, eco-tourists can
 involved with is the international         and local alike to reach out to both an    provide the income needed for people
 organization, Habitats for Humanity.       urban and rural community showing          to pursue ecologically sound paths of
 They were working in Santiago to aid       devotion to their fellow human beings.     development. All the while, it is essen-
 lower class families in need of more       People like Tracy Katelmen, Francisco      tial that these tourists remember that
 space due to special cases. I met the      Rottman, and Manuel and Giulia             they are not superior, and must work
 father of one of these families, who was   Rodriguez are the driving force behind     alongside the locals in preserving the
 happy to have Habitats for Humanity        the grassroots movement; they are          environment and it’s natural beauties.
Eco tourism press
References
 [1] – United States. Department of
 State. Bureau of Western Hemisphere
 Affairs. Background Note: Chile. 12
 April 2010.
 [2] – International Rivers. “HidroAy-
 sén’s Severly Flawed Environmental
 Study.” August 2008.
 [3] – Sin Represas. “The Struggle.”
 2009.
 [4] – Portland General Electric. “San-
 dy River – Marmot Dam’s removal
 in 2007 has returned the Sandy River

 2009




Outside Chile,Tourist attractions like
Peru’s Maachu Pichu foster detbates
over tourism and its potential dam-
age to historical treasures (left). Still,
impoverised cities like La Paz, Bolivia
earn many tourist dollars from this
tourism (right).The push towards more
eco-friendly tourism continues in Chile’s
northern neighbors.

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Eco tourism press

  • 3. Eco-Tourism: Preserving South America’s Wilderness Photos and Text by Adam Reichardt Thanks to the people at Ecolé, La Granja Organíca and Los Largartos for being such gracious hosts.
  • 5. G reen has been on everyone’s ing as a student, I was intent on ab- largest economy in the world and mind lately. The movement the second largest in the Americas) towards more environe- Quickly I learned we are not that leads the way in total amount of mentally friendly industry, energy, different. Focusing on environmen- exports at $137.8 billion dollars, and lifestyles is growing stronger talism, I was seeking to question the followed by Chile at 58.12 billion by the day. People desire to make Chilean mindset regarding “green.” [1]. In 2003 Chile signed a free trade less of an impact on the planet while Many Chileans saw green as pride agreement with the United States. still mantaining some of there tradi- in their country’s world renwoned This actions by the Chilean gov- tions. One being travel. People love wilderness and biodiversity. Chile is ernment has the potential to bring to travel. Travel offers a chance to long, narrow country with a climate Chile’s GDP to unprecedented get away from the mundane hap- that varies greatly, ranging from the levels, positioning to Chile as a penings of their daily life, and enter world’s driest desert-the Atacama- great power in the global commu- into unknown territory. As people in the north, through a Mediterra- nity. With this new role comes the nean climate in the centre, to a rainy responsibility towards their people destinations, they are beginning to temperate climate in the south. Most and the global community to pre- question their impact on these coun- spoke of the tourists who came for serve their environment. tries. With these concerns, enters this reason, to experience so many Within South America, Chile the industry of ecological toruism unique climates in a short time. leads the GDP per capita at $14, or eco-tourism. The act of touring With this new growth in wealth through a country while gaining that we are experiencing here in the comes a growing middle class look- education about the environment United States, has not yet proliferat- ing to emulate the spending and ed in Chile, but it certainly going in consumption habits of their neigh- that direction. Chileans were more bors to the north, the United States. Sunset over Seno Última Esperanza animated when discussing topics As these South Americans spend (Last Hope Sound) in Puerto Natales. regarding the preservation of their more of their growing wealth on This tiny little town is more or less wilderness, and what to do regard- technology, goods and land, they regarded to be the basecamp town ing polluting and destructive energy will begin to confront many of the for one of Chile’s natural wonders, the sources in the country. environmental issues that plague industrialized societies (waste, pol- mountian,Torres del Paine. Chile is gaining popularity on the global stage. South America lution, energy shortage and obesity). relies heavily on the exporting of Frankly, many of these issues are I recently spent six months trav- goods and Chile is a major player in already emerging in their society. eling as an eco-tourist through Chile this economic market. On an ex- Akin to the energy problems in the and it’s neighboring countries. Go- change rate basis Brazil (the seventh United States, Chile is creating high
  • 7. levels pollution due to their reliance law that requires new energy con- sound energy sources. on electricity produced with coal A massive hydropower su- technology. energy from non-traditional renew- per project is planned for the Aysén As global climate change gar- able sources. The government has region of Chile, which is part of ners more attention in the interna- also paved the way for up to US$400 the awe-inspiring scenery of Pa- tional community, the pressure for million to be spent on renewable en- tagonia. The companies ENDESA renewable energy sources increases. ergy projects. In the meantime there and Colbún S.A. have planned the Chile has mounting reasons for its is a large push by corporations such HidroAysén project. In this joint own interest in alternative energy. as ENDESA and Colbún S.A. to in- Santiago experiences heavy layers vest in more hydroelectric projects. damns – two on the Baker River and of smog as a result of industry and Sixty percent of electricity genera- three more on the Pascua – along automotives. These clouds of smog tion in Chile is based on imported with 1,500 miles of transmission - fossil fuels (mostly natural gas and tions for the residents of Santiago. coal) and forty percent on domestic Moreover, the cloud’s toxic particles hydropower. T have the potential to travel to neigh- he Andes mountain range boring rural areas, affecting both the provides Chile with a rich crops and water supplies. source of hydropower. The annual glacial melt swells Chile’s rivers providing its eight hydroelec- Patagonia’s natural parks offer a rare tric plants with around 3000 Mega- up close glimpse at varied wildlife. Here Watts (MW) of electricity. This pro- are the famous Alpaca (left) and Gray vides a whopping forty percent of Chile’s electricity energy. In compar- Fox (right). Both hiking and auto tours ison, Hydroelectricity is only seven are offered through the park. percent of the United States energy production. With an expected an- Chile and Argentina’s aging nual increase of six to seven percent electricity grid and limited energy over the next ten years, That’s an sources make it increasingly dif- annual increase on the order of 450 MW produced. Chile is confronted growing populace as electricity de- with the dilemma of whether to mands grow. The president of Chile, continue to pursue hydroelectric Michelle Bachelet, signed a bill into sources or invest in ecologically
  • 9. lines. The placing of the dams with- of 450 MW. This growth in capacity - in these rivers will cause massive is necessary if present consumption rates continue. If built this project is past the dams[4]. It is a rare mo- of transmission lines a winding cor- expected to have a capacity of over ridor almost 400 feet wide must be 2,750 MW, twenty percent of the na- environmental activists working cleared, destroying thousands miles tion’s current total. The urban and together, this illustrates that giant of native forest [2]. In addition to industrial areas around Santiago impact the HidroAysén project will the forest destruction, the towers are would consume some of it, but most have on Chile. more than 200 feet high and will be is needed in the mining operations a massive eye sore for those looking that lie further north. Those living to gaze upon Patagonia’s majestic scenery. The visually and environ- they should suffer for the produc- mentally destructive elements of tion of electricity to be shipped up the project are being met with great north. In response to this project, envi- industries, as well as environmental ronmental activists, affected indus- activists. tries and villages have drafter a long The Perito Moreno Glacier is the most list of negatives. To achieve proper visited glacier in the world (left). In fact function, hydroelectric dams must create a reservoir that submerges located in the Argentinian town of large swaths of land upstream. El Calafate, many tourists travel over W ith the present brown from Chile.The mountians of Chile’s riverside habitats, which are rich in and blackouts occurring central valley also offer a peak inside biodiversity; the destruction is likely in Chilean towns and smaller glaciers. Here a ice waterfall is to cause ripples in other habitats as cities, hydroelectric dams may be a shown (right). necessary evil to allow the contin- Chile fears the repercussion of the ued development of Chile and its Firstly, what are the positive as- dam on the salmon habitats. Stud- freedom from foreign energy de- pects of the project? In Chile in the ies have shown that dams along the pendence. Some in the economically next ten years, an annual increase depressed regions surrounding the of six to eight percent in electric- America have reduced salmon proposed dam locations are eager ity consumption is expected. This populations by preventing access to to welcome the employment the corresponds to an annual growth in spawning grounds upstream. Fish dams will provide. Displacement of power plant capacity on the order ladders that have been installed to local populations is expected due
  • 11. Concerning the displacement of these farmers will testify, its re- that adequate replacement housing and destruction of people, Sin wards are great. One farmer would will not be provided, in addition to Represas stated “we at Sin Represas, boast how long it had been since he the proper compensation of farm- and the people of Aysén, whose old- had gone to town. Nearing the one- land lost to the dams. Many in the world existence may one day soon month mark, he wore his seclusion tourism industries are worried that be destroyed by those old-world as a badge of honor, showing his the power lines will dampen their energy solutions.” The organization true commitment to the land. C industry, especially when they are is referencing Chile’s strong pastoral hile has a strong agricul- trying to promote ecological tour- communities who have subsisted on ture history and currently ism, or eco-tourism. herding and agriculture for genera- exports forty-two percent tions and continue to do so today. of its food to the Americas, thirty Sin Represas (Without Dams) com- These agricultural communities also percent to Asia and twenty-four mands large crowds during it’s many provide a strong draw for eco-tour- percent to Europe [2]. Gaining a 23 ists, particularly their participation billion dollar trade surplus in 2006, demonstrations in Santiago (left).The in the Worldwide Opportunities on the Chilean government invests a marches and demonstrations remain Organic Farms (WWOOF) organi- lot in industrial farms. With brands relatively peaceful with Chile’s police on zation. like Super Pollo, a subsidiary of patrol (right). WWOOF offers a rare possibil- Agricorps the largest industrial ity to today’s increasingly urban agriculture brand in Chile, com- Sin Represas (Without Dams) generation, a chance for people to manding 550 million US Dollars in is a collection of organizations seek- get out of the urban jungle and into yearly sales, competition is impos- ing to put an end to the HidroAysén the pastures and prairies where we sible for small organic farms. These project. While noting the possibil- farms can only realistically hope to ity of employment for the region, farms and eager volunteers across supply local farmers markets and a Sin Represas reports an April 2008 all seven continents, with a total of ninety-nine participating countries. percent of Chileans against the WWOOF was originally started in dams. Sin Represas implores Chile 1971 by a London secretary look- to focus their energies towards ing to offer urban dwellers access to renewable power sources and eco- the countryside. Volunteering for a tourism; two avenues Sin Represas small farm puts you in touch with believes will provide the power and people who are following a lifestyle development needed to continue not chosen by many because of its Chile’s development[3]. arduous requirements, but as many
  • 13. few stores. Francisco Rottman, the their frustration with being entirely for a great citrus fertilizer. As fertil- owner of the Chilean farm, Granja - izer is expensive, any cost-saving Organica, earns most of his income tor had broken down three months technique is adopted. from the farm stand he operates off earlier and was still sitting unused. Two interns visiting La Granja his property; selling around sixty- Their hope was a volunteer from Organica from a local agricultural WWOOF with mechanical skills school introduced me to their fer- - would arrive and bring it back to tilizer technique. Using chicken cent at a small store, Tienda Tierra life. wire as a form, they layered animal Viva in Santiago Central. At the end Manuel was very inventive waste, leaves, and any leftover or- of each harvest Rottman said he was with the limited tools in his pos- ganic food scraps to create a putrid just happy to break even. session. He was unable to afford a parfait. Most important was the staff The horses of Los Lagartos are alowed steel plow; I watched him instead left in the center, which would be fashion a plow out of pine branches pulled out once the fertilizer settled to run wild, considering the thick brush and attach it to one of their horses. so as to allow air to circulate and of the surrounding native forests keep Though it cost no money it was still feed the aerobic bacteria which de- them contained. Here Giulia’s favorite able to effectively till the soil and composing material. Taking three to black stallion can be seen trotting to- he left the larger stones for myself wards the watering hole. and the other WWOOFers. Innova- allows La Granja Organic to save tions like this are necessary among money and avoid buying expensive Nearby Granja Organíca, the the South American organic farm- organic fertilizers. owners Manuel and Giulia Rodri- ers. Without access to the growing guez of the farm Los Lagartos (The organic market in the United States, Lizards) owners, have adapted a Canada and Europe, these farmers “organic.” For many it’s a matter of lifestyle devoted to farming in its have very little income. choice, due to the high price of seeds F simplest form and are trying to aced with the same income and extremely hardy pesticides. The eliminate monetary transactions all problems on La Granja Or- together. Moving away from the air- ganica, they too embraced any lost crops. Those at Los Lagartos conditioned tractor lifestyle that has innovation. While strolling through - come to dominate industrial farm- their land, I found the chickens cides sprayed on nearby farms being ing Manuel and Giulia are looking fenced in with the citrus trees. This to develop a spiritual relationship is struck me as an odd place for the with the land, allowing it to reward chickens, and when I asked Rottman surrounding labeling of an organic their devotion and hard labor with about the odd pen, I was informed food is another issue arresting the a bountiful harvest. Still they shared that their high nitrogen feces makes proliferation of organic farmers.
  • 15. These farmers are a strong kilometers trail, The Chilean Trail, major travel and eco-tourism draw foothold in the rural communities from Visviri, on the northern Chil- for both Chileans and Foreigners of central and southern Chile. These ean border with Peru and Bolivia, alike. Many of the parks contain are the communities that would to Cape Horn, the southern tip of millenarian forests and have at- South America. This trail will be tracted biologists on a search for the eco-tourism options in and around one of the longest pathways in the world’s oldest trees long before the these areas. The income brought world for hiking or tours on bicycle arrival tourists. Those less interested in from tourism, would go a long in science, go to towns such as Vall- way in preserving the land, and the sustainable development initia- rica and Pucón for stunning vistas, agricultural way of life followed tives was inaugurated on April 7, native wildlife, and adventure. I by many in Chile. There are many 2005 in the town of Requinoa, some was fortunate to grab a few days who support eco-tourism, including 100 kilometers south of Santiago. away from Santiago and sample a governmental actors, environmental CONAMA and UNDP signed an sliver of this region at the small vil- activists, and the farmers mentioned agreement in late 2004 to provide lage of Pucón. In Pucón, tourists are above. The problem now is getting able to spend all their time lounging these different actors to work to- for a total investment of 310,000 dol- by one of the many lakes, rafting gether. lars. Irene Philippi, UNDP resident on the rivers, soaring through the representative in Chile described canopy on zip-lines or for the truly The land of Los Lagartos provided con- the project as ‘’on the path of eco- - stant activity for volunteer WWOOFers. tourism and sustainability.’’ ‘’It cano, Volcan Vallrica, to gaze into its smoking chasm. I opted for some- Freshly planted avocado trees required greater value to the Chilean Trail, thing a tad less strenuous, or so I covering at night to protect against cold. bring revenues into its communities believed. Waiting till sunrise to remove the pro- and protect the environment.’’ This Through the hostel, Ecolé, I dis- tective covers. push shows the governments com- covered the Cani Sanctuary; a model mitment to eco-tourism. If the gov- for conservation and its potential Chile has garnered international ernment combines their power with in Chile. Found in the Huerquehue support for their bid to provide the devotion of it’s people, eco-tour- National Park, Cani offers a six-hour ecologically sound options for visi- ism can become a viable and strong hike through a well-marked path ac- tors to their county. With help from industry for Chile. companied by photo-friendly wild- S the United Nations Development outh of Santiago lies the lake life and plenty of cows. Ecolé has Programme (UNDP), Chile’s Na- region of Chile. The amazing long held a stake in the Sanctuary. tional Environment Commission landscape and diverse choices The original forty-two co-owners, (CONAMA) has planned an 8,000 of activities has made this region a both foreigners and locals, were all
  • 17. conservation-minded people com- our money where our mouth is and organic growing. More income and ing down to Chile to build trails in move forward the environmental organization is needed to advance the Cani. One of the original found- tourism agenda.” the organic agenda. ers, Tracy Katelman, described the Through their vegetarian res- Katelmen continued to express taurant, the hostelowners have been her frustration with being more en- born out of the desire for a clean hard-pressed to start a change in vironmental. “It’s hard to be really bed and warm meal when they got they way food is handled in Chile. Eco in Chile…[we’ve] made a real off the trail each day. So they con- Katelman discussed her worries effort to recycling and composting verted their old haunt, Don Pepe’s, with “promoting [Ecolé] as an or- going in Pucón.” By showing an into an eco-minded hostel with an ganic restaurant.” Many of the local interest in recycling, now people are organic vegetarian restaurant. Some crops are being infested by the coming by to pick up Ecolé’s wine of the guidebooks claim the vegetar- Pilme beetle, a “strong little critter” bottles. Ecolé also has the obligatory ian food is better than that of San that as of now can only be stopped low-energy light bulbs. They do not Francisco and New York. by chemical pesticide. Though she change the sheets, but instead offer did mention a neighbor who had sleeping bags for renting. During Manuel was trained as a chef before a homegrown recipe consisting of the winter, the hostel is heated by becoming an organic farmer.Visitors old cigarette butts, which may be wood stove. Looking to improve were treated daily to delicious meals a possible remedy to the infesta- their hostel more, the co-owners of prepared with ingredients grown right tion. With the beetle infestation, the Ecolé had planned to install solar outside.The only outside purchases farmers also have a problem with panels and create a yoga studio, as meeting food demands. They just well as a laundry room. Due to the were sugar and butter. cannot produce enough to provide economic crisis that has shocked Ecolé and other organic restaurants. the world, however, they have had Ecolé and its owners have been Katelman spoke of an attempt by to put the plan on hold for the time a strong force in the surrounding the Komkellayen organization to being. E areas. In August 2008 they managed pull together Mapuche, those indig- colé is certainly a testament to suspend a developer’s decision to enous to central Chile, producers to the changing mindset in dam up a river delta in Cola Cola, in and possibly win a national grant, Chile, but also shows how far but unfortunately the plan fell apart. they have to go. Alas, it is essential Many of the small growers also suf- to plant the seeds of conservation in Through their hostel they are trying fer from logistical problems, such developing countries. More so, this to get people out to the Cani and as distribution. She believes, “Chile is not an example of the “enlight- educate them about the wildlife. is at least twenty years behind the ened westerner” coming into the Katelman said it was “time to put [United States]” when it comes to country and dictating was is right,
  • 19. but an example of both local Chil- build an addition to his house for his pushing for more conservation in Chile eans and foreigners working side ill daughter. Habitat for Humanity’s and setting a trend for all of South by side to preserve this beautiful volunteer coordinator, informed me the America. Their model of dedication existing space of the house was unsuit- to the environmental cause is what is tourists, dedicated locals can use the able for the betterment of the daugh- motivating larger organizations like Sin income to educate tourists on the ter’s health. Repreasas to combat the destructive Habitat for Humanity organized plans of the HidroAysén project. to keep it going. Chilean students from a local trade The support of eco-tourists is what school along with a British volunteer to is pushing to keep global environ- British volunteer, Gareth Tye, is being build the additional room. Gareth Rich- ments pure. As global superpowers taught how to tile by a Chilean student outsource their pollution and waste to from a local trade school (left).The lan- was looking to travel around South America and thought this would serve guage barrier led to most lessons tak- as a good introduction to the culture ing twice as long as expected. Newly and an opportunity to learn Spanish. sprouted plants on La Granja Organíca Many of these volunteer tourists are ware kept in a warehouse until ready jaded from the sanitized tourists trails for planting (right). and prefer to get to know a city from the bottom up. This is considered eco- Volunteer work is a large draw for tourism, as it doesn’t negatively impact eco-tourists as it offers the excitement the environment of the destination. of a foreign country while offering Giving back to the community instead tourists a chance to give something of isolating yourself in a high-class other than economic support. Many resort, offers more to the people. second and third world counties, it’ll O organizations offer programs connect- rganizations like WWOOF be eco-tourists who give these nations ing tourists with local or international and Habitat for Humanity a reason to refuse. Restoring pride it a groups. One such group I became provide outlets for tourists nation’s wilderness, eco-tourists can involved with is the international and local alike to reach out to both an provide the income needed for people organization, Habitats for Humanity. urban and rural community showing to pursue ecologically sound paths of They were working in Santiago to aid devotion to their fellow human beings. development. All the while, it is essen- lower class families in need of more People like Tracy Katelmen, Francisco tial that these tourists remember that space due to special cases. I met the Rottman, and Manuel and Giulia they are not superior, and must work father of one of these families, who was Rodriguez are the driving force behind alongside the locals in preserving the happy to have Habitats for Humanity the grassroots movement; they are environment and it’s natural beauties.
  • 21. References [1] – United States. Department of State. Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. Background Note: Chile. 12 April 2010. [2] – International Rivers. “HidroAy- sén’s Severly Flawed Environmental Study.” August 2008. [3] – Sin Represas. “The Struggle.” 2009. [4] – Portland General Electric. “San- dy River – Marmot Dam’s removal in 2007 has returned the Sandy River 2009 Outside Chile,Tourist attractions like Peru’s Maachu Pichu foster detbates over tourism and its potential dam- age to historical treasures (left). Still, impoverised cities like La Paz, Bolivia earn many tourist dollars from this tourism (right).The push towards more eco-friendly tourism continues in Chile’s northern neighbors.